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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State Rep.
Ron Buxton |
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Buxton to introduce stopgap bill
HARRISBURG, June 19 – State Rep. Ronald Buxton, D-Dauphin, said today he is planning to introduce legislation (H.B. 1771) designed to be a stopgap measure that would allow the Commonwealth to pay its employees through July 30.
If a budget deal is not reached by midnight on June 30, all state employees will be faced with payless paydays and possible furloughs.
"All of those employees are essential in order to keep our state running efficiently," Buxton said. "Our Commonwealth employees should not be the ones who suffer the fate of a budget impasse."
The bill would be very similar to stopgap measures introduced in 1991, which were designed to allow the governor to use state funds to pay the salaries of furloughed state employees.
"We were going through an economic downtown that year as well, and even though the recession we're dealing with now is far worse, we need to do something now," Buxton said. "Our state's budget is the priority, but we need to keep the family budgets of those we represent at the forefront."
Agencies and employees not affected are those essential to public health, safety and welfare.
Buxton added the legislation will mirror the stopgap bill he introduced in the 2007-08 session, which received broad support with nearly 100 co-sponsors.
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